Highlights from the FAO Director-General’s visit to the US Department of Agriculture People’s Garden
Washington, DC – On 23 September 2022 FAO Director-General QU Dongyu visited the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to meet with Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack and tour the flagship location of USDA’s People’s Garden in Washington, D.C. The People’s Garden initiative consists of 17 garden hubs around the United States in addition to the flagship one. Gardens around the world can join the community by voluntarily signing up.
Today, 312 affiliated gardens in the U.S. and abroad are designated as “People’s Gardens.” These gardens share four key criteria, they: engage communities to grow fresh, healthy food and support resilient local food systems; teach people how to garden using sustainable practices; nurture habitats for pollinators and wildlife; and provide green space for neighbors to gather and enjoy.
During his visit, Qu met with staff from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and observed the team of volunteers who contribute their time planting, maintaining, and harvesting the garden, as well as an educational field trip from a local preschool.
The People’s Garden was named in honor of USDA’s founder, President Abraham Lincoln, who called USDA “The People’s Department.” The first People’s Garden at USDA headquarters was started by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on 12 February 2009 – Lincoln’s 200th birthday – and the initiative was renewed in May 2022 with the dedication of the flagship garden. In September 2022, the initiative expanded to allow gardens of different sizes and types, including school gardens, community gardens, urban farms, and small-scale agriculture projects in rural and urban areas, to be recognized as a People’s Garden if they benefit their communities, collaborate with other local initiatives, incorporate sustainable practices, or educate the public.
The USDA Headquarters People’s Garden features new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible raised beds and a picnic table, a pollinator garden and food forest, and a succession of seasonal food crops. The garden is maintained by volunteers under the supervision of USDA gardeners from the NRCS Plant Materials Center. All of the produce grown at the flagship People’s Garden is donated to nonprofits that feed to the local community.
Additional links
FAO and United States Strengthen Commitment to Combat Global Food Insecurity